Bazzel strengthens ties in DardanelleDARDANELLE — Community, strength and roots ran deep at the Dardanelle Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet Monday at the community center. Guest speaker David Bazzel engaged community members in how to strengthen the city's bond. "Don't tell me why you can't do it; tell me how you are going to get it done," Bazzel said. "You are a key to making Arkansas what it is. What you can do every day is make Dardanelle be the best it can be." Although a Flo...

Sheriff's office promotes twoThe Pope County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday the promotions of two deputies. Jim Lean was promoted to patrol lieutenant, and Jamie Gray was promoted to patrol sergeant. Pope County Sheriff Shane Jones said he was proud of the pair. "It's an honor and a privilege to have Lt. Lean and Sgt. Gray be a part of the sheriff's department," he said. Lean has been with the department since 2002 and previously served as patrol sergeant. Gray joined...

Skelton urges stricter adherence to rulesThe Russellville Planning Commission voted 5-3 to allow a non-standard commercial building addition to an existing building on West Parkway after a lengthy discussion, leading Commissioner Doug Skelton to express a need for stricter adherence to guidelines. "This is outrageous," Skelton said during Monday's meeting. "We should have some say in the front facade of the buildings, and if they don't want to meet what the requirements are, then the...

City to review animal shelter bidsThe city will review bids for a new building at the Russellville Animal Shelter on Feb. 17. The 1,224-square-foot building will be connected to the current shelter and is expected to include 10 additional dog kennels, a cat area and a quarantine area. The project will also include improvements to the current facility, which opened in April 1996. There will be a mandatory pre-bid meeting at the site at 10 a.m. Feb. 4. Bids will be opened shortl...

City can spend funds, despite contract limboWhen you pay for your groceries, your gas, your appliances, your electronics, your clothes in Russellville, do you ever wonder where the city’s one-cent sales tax goes? When you look at all the construction and projects that will start or finish in the city of Russellville this year, do you wonder how portions of those projects are funded? The Courier sat down recently with Russellville Finance Director Jerry McKaughan to get some answers to b...

Brown leaves prosecuting attorney’s officeLiza Brown is leaving the prosecuting attorney’s office after serving more than eight years as a deputy prosecuting attorney. “I hope I made a difference,” she said. Brown graduated from Murray State University in Murray, Ky., with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2001 and went directly into law school. “As a small child, I always wanted to be an attorney,” she said. “It was a dream of mine.” She graduated from the University of Ark...

Brown appointed Atkins city clerk ATKINS — The City Council met in special session Thursday and voted 5-0 to replace City Clerk Barbara Gardner, who resigned Wednesday. Michelle Brown was appointed by the council to fill out Gardner’s two-year term. Barrett said a special election wasn’t necessary, according to the Arkansas Municipal League, because Gardner was sworn in and served since Jan. 1.

Cemetery encourages participation in repair projectThe Oakland Cemetery Commission has urged Russellville residents to take part in its monument repair project. The commission discussed the project during its meeting Tuesday at City Hall. Director Stephanie Warwick said relatives of those buried in the cemetery should make an effort to repair weathered or damaged monuments. "Oakland Cemetery is not the diamond in the tiara for the city of Russellville," Warwick said, "but it can be the emerald...

City Council wants public feedbackThe Russellville City Council approved items pertaining to Recreation and Parks, Animal Control and discussed ways the public could take ownership of its meetings Thursday at City Hall. City Attorney Trey Smith also told aldermen he is working on additions and revisions to the city’s contract with the Arkansas Valley Alliance for Economic Development (AVAED). He said he wanted aldermen to analyze changes and come up with a final draft for the ...

County, city could save big on gasGas prices have fallen by nearly half in the past six months, and it's having an impact on the local economy. "Hopefully it will stay down low," Pope County Judge Jim Ed Gibson said. "If we can save that money, we can spend it on something else, such as road work and other projects." Gibson said the lower fuel costs affect several county departments such as the Pope County Sheriff's Office, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the senior citiz...

$71 million is investment in communityMembers of City Corp. and the Russellville City Council met Tuesday at City Hall to discuss a proposed $71 million needed to fund capital improvement projects over the next six years. City Corp. General Manager Steve Mallett and Dan Jackson of economist.com — a firm that studies utilities and comes up with water and sewer rate proposals to pay for capital improvements — showed how a rate increase of nearly $5 per month per average user would f...

Christensen's art displayed regionallyEvery home in the Arkansas River Valley will soon be able to view Astrid Christensen’s artwork. It’s on the cover of the newest phonebook. Christensen, a ninth-grader at Russellville Junior High School, won the annual Downey Publishing Art for Education contest to have her art displayed on the front of the area phonebook. Christensen, daughter of Eric and Laura Christensen, competed with students kindergarten through 12th grade from across the...

Local health prevention organization seeks supportThe River Valley Prevention Coalition (RVPC) is trying to increase support for community health. During its meeting Tuesday at the Pope County Health Unit, RVPC Co-chair Angie White said community involvement is an essential preventative factor for a number of health-related problems, including tobacco and alcohol use. “When we dwindle in numbers, we dwindle in opportunity,” White said. The coalition approved to donate $250 to the Out of the D...

Garza lands dream jobBeing a police officer was a lifelong dream for Travis Garza. Garza, 26, has been a patrol officer with the Russellville Police Department (RPD) for more than two years but said he wanted to be a cop since the second grade. When he was a student at Sequoyah Elementary School, officers talked to his class about law enforcement during Drug-Free Week and even brought along a miniature police car complete with flashing lights. "It intrigued me," G...

City Corp. seeks $71 million over 6 yearsThe Russellville City Council and City Corp. board of directors heard general manager Steve Mallett spell out a proposal that will generate $71 million over the next six years for water and sewer capital improvements. The bulk of the money will come from bond issuances, but the water utility also recommended an increase in water and sewer rates. What does this mean to the average City Corp. customer? Nearly an additional $5 per month, or $60 a...

Gibbons to serve state boardLITTLE ROCK — A local attorney was elected to serve on the 2015 Arkansas Prosecuting Attorneys Association (APAA) Board of Directors. Prosecuting Attorney David Gibbons represents the Fifth Judicial Circuit, which includes Pope, Johnson and Franklin counties. Gibbons was selected to be a board member on the 2015 Board of Directors. The APAA Board of Directors is composed of seven elected prosecuting attorneys — board president, vice president,...

Russellville volunteer honoredKatherine “Kitty” Carswell of Russellville received the 2014 Arkansas Outstanding Certified Long-Term Care Volunteer Ombudsman Royce Haigwood Award. The award was announced in late 2014 and honors only one volunteer for the state. Carswell has visited nursing home residents as a certified volunteer ombudsman since 2010. “I just really like it,” Carswell said. “Being in a wheelchair, I really understand the needs of the people, and I want to ma...

Spencers: Theatre of Illusion to perform in Russellville Feb. 28Prepare to be mystified as Spencers: Theatre of Illusion makes a stop at The Center for the Arts, in Russellville, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28. This is not your run-of-the-mill magic show; and the Spencers are not your typical magicians. The Spencers carry a lot of equipment in their 65-foot customized truck and trailer, but a rabbit and a top hat are not in the inventory. Kevin and Cindy Spencer, known professionally as The Spencers, are a...

Committee considers alternatives to parking deckThe Downtown Parking Deck Committee discussed a possible alternate plan during a called meeting Thursday. Chairman Doug Skelton suggested the committee consider a surface parking downtown in a nearby location instead of a parking deck. He said the parking surface could still relieve the city's parking problem while saving a lot of money. "One thing it will do, it will substantially cut back on cost," Skelton said. He estimated a parking surfac...

Memphis green lights power line, some in Arkansas opposeMEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA) on Tuesday unanimously approved an application from Plains & Eastern Clean Line for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and to grant the company the authority to operate as a wholesale transmission-only public utility in Tennessee. "We appreciate the TRA's review of our application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity," Clean Line Energy President Michael ...